Wonderful Day

Sometime I sit down at this computer late at night (or early in the morning), and I have a difficult time remembering what happened at the beginning of the day (there must be more than 100 hours elapse between getting out of bed in the morning and getting into bed at night!).

It was SK's 72nd birthday today.  His day started out with going to several different items for our meal tomorrow.  He had a list, and did a good job of getting everything we needed.  He also made a trip to the bank....time to close out accounts....and to another variety store.  He drove to the center to deposit everything in the refrigerator or on the counter (just a few things less to worry about tomorrow).

While he was gone, I baked two Texas Sheet cakes, wrote some more notes and prepared some things for the center.  At 11, we left for the temple.  We were on a special missionary session, and we led it. That was very meaningful for him....I heard him tell someone that there is no better place to be than the temple on your birthday.

We took some pictures afterward of two of the other senior missionary couples....they are great people....both doing records preservation in different areas of the city.  There were a lot of young missionaries attending the session, and SK snapped this picture with two cute young sisters.

Sister Williams on the left, Sister Floyd on the right and me in the middle!

Elder and Sister Brookes on the left and Elder and Sister Ottley on the right.

We still had two stops on the way home before we could say we have everything we need for tomorrow.  By the time we got home, we had one hour before we needed to leave for our dinner appointment.

SK took a brief nap, while I finished up preparations.  When we got in the car, SK said, "I am starving."  He hadn't eaten all day.  Ethan always says to him (on days like today), "We have got to get that guy - the one who keeps you from eating all day!!!!"

We were on a pretty tight schedule all day, and SK does not like to wolf down food....he would rather go hungry than gulp everything down on the run.  Busy days often leave him famished.

But he was soon rescued from a day without good food....we ate with Jens and Susanne....he is the director of institutes and seminaries in Denmark.  What a treat it was!  We were enjoying ourselves so much, we didn't even think to take pictures.  We had delicious moist salmon, pasta salad, green salad, and delicious whole-grain rolls.

We especially enjoyed our evening with them and their two adult children....Louise is just home from her mission, and Jakob is 17 or so.  They are a great family and enjoyable to be with.  They shared some inspiring experiences they have had.  Jens is truly a master teacher, but he is also a great leader. He has been the stake president in the Copenhagen Stake, the Denmark mission president, and all kinds of other very busy positions.

When dinner was over and we had eaten dessert (roed groed med flode!!!!), we sat in their lovely living room and talked for well over an hour.  It was enlightening and spiritual as they shared with us their engagment and wedding story (and then asked to hear ours!).  It was a wonderful way to spend one of our last evenings in this land.

SK spoke with several of our children, and heard a rendition of our very short birthday song from some of the grandchildren....pretty funny.

I am certain he would say that it was a wonderful day....because it really was.  But to SK, every day is usually a wonderful day.

You have gotta love a guy like that.

Let's See....How Much Can I Squeeze In?.....

I wonder if we will be able to get all this stuff in our suitcases.

We are packing up as much as we can, and leaving out what we will wear in the next 4 days.  Isn't that crazy.  Basically 4 outfits and something casual to wear around home....something to wear on the trip through Paris and Salt Lake....from the time we leave our apartment here until we arrive at Sky Harbor Airport, over 24 hours will have elapsed.

We went into the mission office today for an interview with our new mission president....kind of a "hello, goodbye" interview....otherwise known as an "exit" interview.  He is a good man and seems like a real take charge kind of a person, efficient and businesslike.  He also is optimistic, and expresses his faith.  We enjoyed our interview.

President Sederholm has been gone 2 months now.  He was a marvelous mission president, and was our spiritual leader for nearly 2 years.  We love that man...and his beautiful wife.  I know President O'Bryant and his wife are marvelous....and they are going to do very well at heading up the best mission in the world.

This evening I started baking....desserts for Thursday evening.  I made pecan pie bars.  I also went visiting teaching.  I saw my dear friend Anna, who has translated for me for all this time in Amager.  She is the age of my daughters and I have enjoyed getting to know her.  She is very talented and also very fun.  She has assured me that she will come to Arizona at some point in the future.

It is interesting for the average Dane to visit America.....language is simply not an issue, since most of the them could pass for an American with their language.  Every one of our missionaries who has left to serve a mission in an English-speaking mission has been invited to attend the MTC for 6 or 8 weeks......until they call the missionary department and speak to someone.  It would be a waste of resources.

The next three days are going to be packed full.....possibly even fuller than those big suitcases on the couch!

Getting Harder

Denmark is giving me a final gift this week.....rain.

SK took Elder Parker (he and his wife are replacing us) on a field trip to Inco....our current Costco-Wannabe.  While they were gone, I was alone in the apartment, working on several little tasks.  The sky darkened, and thunder rolled across the city.....then rain....ah the smell of fresh rain.  It rained on and off throughout the day.

SK went to the center at 3 to meet one of our young men who was going to study in the quiet there.  I stayed home for two reasons....1) I was in the middle of several things and wanted to get them finished.....2) I wanted to walk to the center in the rain.

I got some of the items on my list finished, and then I walked.  I didn't take the Mary Poppins umbrella, because I wore my rain coat with a hood.  It took about 25 minutes, and it didn't rain a drop!  But that is OK....I loved the walk, and there were a few puddles I could walk through.

We had an excellent turnout tonight.  I was so happy to see so many of those great young people.  Elder Parker gave the Family Home Evening lesson, and did a super job.  He and his wife are so fun, I know everyone will love them.

When they were done, Jonas (a really great young man who has been home from his mission about a year or so) made an announcement.  I didn't catch all he said, but it was about SK and me and a gift they will present to us on Thursday.  As part of the gift, we all trooped out into the courtyard and bunched up in a little circle, where one of the YSAs mother took our picture from two stories above.  She took a bunch, and we were all laughing at the sheer fun of it.  Then we went through the center and out the front door where she took pictures of us all at various places on the street.  I felt like a YSA myself.....everyone seemed so light-hearted.

We went back inside where Elder Parker organized four long tables of six people each.  He handed everyone a piece of playdough and we played Sculptionary.  One person sculpted a figure in his clay (assigned by Elder Parker) and his team had to guess what it was.  It got very loud with laughter and good times.  It was a hit.

Elder and Sister Parker giving instructions.

Isak, who will be receiving a mission call soon is working very hard on his sculpture!

Jonathan is working equally hard....and Teresa is looking on with amusement.

This sweet young man has been investigating the church for a few months.  He is a kind gentle guy, and I think a lot of him.

Afterward, we sat around visiting with different people.  I saw SK several times with his lower lip quivering.....and I kept feeling waves of sadness to think of leaving them all.  A few said good-bye because they won't be back this week.....but most hugged us, waved goodbye and said they would be there on Thursday.

Are they adorable or what?  They are the best young people you could ever meet....  

.....and we love them.  They are as wonderful as they look.  

 One by one, everyone left.  We stayed until 11:30 visiting with Jennifer, a young woman who is hoping to serve a mission in the near future....there are several obstacles, including a bad hip, and a bad knee.  I hope she will be able to to work everything out.  She would be a very excellent missionary.

For two years, we have seen these young people more often than a lot of grandparents get to see their grandchildren......they have become family to us.  We love them.

We have one more day with them....Thursday.  We have four more days in this place.

As SK has said for years:  "To meet and to part is the way of life."
That doesn't make it any easier.

An Emotional Sabbath

That was hard......but it was a wonderful as well.


In sacrament meeting, Sister Hamblin and SK were the main speakers.  I was asked to take five minutes and bear my testimony.  I thought about it all night.....SK too was up late working on his talk, and awakened in the wee hours of the morning to think some more.

I have never been an emotional person....in fact, when I am at the pulpit, I never cry.  Usually it is because I am so frightened to be there, that it short-circuits the tear ducts.  I sat with the congregation, and when the familiar strains of the opening hymn began to sound, the tears started....and continued through the sacrament.  By the time I got up to speak, there was no turning the emotions off.

I was able to speak, but it was a struggle.  I looked around at all the people I have come to love and admire and it is just a bit sobering that I may not see them again in this life.  SK wants to come back, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future.  We will have a lot to do when we get home, and I don't believe SK really has the heart to leave home again.....it is difficult for him to say goodbye on either end.

In case you are wondering, I spoke in English with my cute friend Anna right beside me translating it into Danish.  I needed to speak from my heart without fear of what I was doing to the Danish language.  I am content with what I was able to say.  Both SK and Sister Hamblin did a wonderful job with their talks....in Danish.

Elsa and Soeren have been sweet friends who speak to my heart.  We speak a little Danish and a little English together.

 

Katja, Thomas and cute Benedicte are such a great family....and so fun.

Anna on the left and Teresa on the right are two of our YSAs and we absolutely love them.  Teresa is the premier baker whose strawberry tart (among other things) is responsible for my precipitous weight gain.

Vicki and her daughter Emma in the far back right are both so dear to us.  Emma just returned from her mission in the states, and Vicki is mother to Joachim and Kasper....and she makes a marvelous monthly meal for the Amager Branch YSAs.

Anna, my dear friend who does all the translating, (far left), and Mona (middle) is our relief society president and mother to 6 and with a part-time job.  She is amazing....she is a blessing to her children and the ward.  Ulla, far right and foreground is absolutely dedicated to her family.....she served a mission several years ago, and always makes insightful and excellent comments in Relief Society.

Hanne, beautiful queen mother to our fairy-tale princess, (as well as Morten, our YSA President).  Words fail me when I try to express how highly we respect and love both Hanne and her husband, our branch president.

Ellen on the left, knows everything about Copenhagen, a city she has loved forever.  She is the one to ask if you need a question answered.  She has done some truly amazing things in Family History.  She is wise, and caring.  Jytte, on the right is our YW President and also one of our Family History experts.  She just got her hair cut short!  She remembers our neighbor from Gilbert, Rex Sorensen, when he served his mission on Amager.  I enjoy Jytte.

Isn't this a handsome branch presidency?.... our branch president is on the left.

We met with the YSAs in Sunday School.  I love those young people!  And in the third hour, we all met together to share a message about senior missions.  It should have happened on the 5th week of the month, but our branch president wanted it to be this week - while we were still here.  I wondered if that is just our stake, or the world over that people will be talking about senior missionaries.

After church was over, we all gathered at Kasper's parents' home to have lunch together....an open house in Sister Hamblin's honor...and ours.  A great many of the members were there....it was so so so nice!  Jaochim, Kasper's brother grilled hot dogs and there was a wide variety of desserts.  But besides grilling things to perfection, Joachim makes unbelievable cookies....great big perfectly round, perfectly baked, perfectly delicious cookies.  I would have taken a picture, but I ate it!!!!!! We received several lovely gifts from dear friends that we will cherish.  

Joachim, the champion griller and cookie baker, is in our branch presidency, and is one of our YSAs.  I have relied upon him for cooking advice.  If I were 22  and single....I would be trying real hard to catch his attention!

Hanne and Katja....it was a beautiful clean summer day, and like all Danes....these two friends couldn't resist sitting in the sunshine.

Palle, (left), his wife Lei (center) and Ulla (right)...such good people.

Henrik (left) our branch president explaining something to Joern (our ward organist...who works at the Thorvaldsen Museum.

Ellen and Joern....aren't they cute?  They love each other so....and they are wise and knowledgeable about the gospel and other very important things.

We had a very sweet experience a little while ago.  Erin called to talk to us about getting home.  We explained our day to her, and she began to cry.  "What is wrong?" we asked in alarm.

"I'm just crying for you...how hard it is to leave."

She has been here twice now and fell in love with everyone like we have.

I think the emotions of the day have caught up to me, and here I am thinking it is time for bed.....which actually sounds like a grand idea.  Maybe we can get up early tomorrow and attack the day with gusto!

Making Every Minute Count

It is sundown, and the lake is calm, smooth and hushed.  Few people are walking at this moment.  It is Saturday night, and most are probably celebrating in one way or another.  In the distance I hear the wail of a siren.  The sky to the north is pink.

We have enjoyed over a week of real summer weather....something all of the Danes are loving.  The temperature has been around 75 every day, and to me that is just a little too hot.  I know what you are thinking...."What will she do in Gilbert?"

Well, it won't be so humid for one thing........and actually, I can't think of any other things.

We are at the point now, where we are doing things "for the last time."  That tends to make us a little sad....but also grateful that we have been to many of these places enough to actually say "This is the last time we will visit here."

We went to the State Museum for Art, so that we could look at our favorite Scandinavian artists' work once again.  There were several Carl Bloch pieces, which I think are quite spectacular.  There are several other artists, whose work is wonderful.  The museum also has paintings by Rubens and Rembrandt.

One of Carl Bloch's non-religious paintings.

SK standing in front of a depiction of Samson after he has been blinded.

After lunch, I took down all of our photographs, which are many.  The apartment looks very nice...and it is beginning to look more streamlined.  But it is also losing the look of "us." Over the past 23 months I have had pictures of family displayed, quotes. calendars and a few little landscapes that we picked up at the flea markets....all things that are meaningful to us....and which speak to us.

I am going to go iron now.....seven white shirts....the last time I will iron here in Denmark.

We talked to Melissa, who is working hard to establish her family in their new home, as well as trying to restore our home to its state of 2 years ago.  She has a big job.  She gave us a telephone tour, and the home looked pretty good.  I told her the only thing we would like for sure is a bed - ready for us.  She showed us our bedroom and it looks very inviting!!!

Seeing the familiar rooms and furnishings made my heart turn to home.  But I don't want to do that - yet.  I want to enjoy every single minute of the week ahead, and soak up all of the sights, smells, sounds of this place I have come to love so much.

I want to enjoy every minute with each of the individuals who mean so much to us.

I'll think about home a week from now.

Souvenir Shopping....and Other Adventures

We set out from home this morning determined to cross several things off our list, which we did.  It required walking, something I haven't been doing so much of lately.  I love walking around here, but our schedule has been a little crazy and we have been only too happy to drive and park....expensive as it is.

One last stop in Church of Our Lady proved to be a disappointment.  The Christus was as beautiful as ever, but there were busloads of tourists inside, crawling all over the place, and someone was playing the big organ.  It was not majestic music, not gentle contemplative music, it was not reverent.  It was deafeningly loud, blaring, obnoxious, discordant, inharmonious, and unsettling.  We did not stay long.

Next to the church is a law school where we stood gazing at the artwork on the ceilings and walls....beautiful....magnificent.

A walk down Stroget (certainly will be our last) netted us each a tee-shirt from a souvenir shop with something typically Danish on it.  (Racketball for SK and pajamas for me.)  We also got some cute little dessert spoons from a Danish maker.....a reminder of the wonderful desserts we have had here (although the extra weight hanging on my hips may be the strongest reminder).

By then, my feet were complaining, and it was hot....75 degrees....which here is just too hot to be out walking.  We came home and I collapsed and slept for  awhile.

I have been working on a sharing website so that I can make the recipes I have used for the last couple of years available to our YSAs.  Several have asked for them and rather than printing up a bunch, I thought it might be a good idea to put it online for all of the very technically savvy young people.  If I get everything figured out, I should be able to share it with them on Thursday evening.

In the evening, we had dinner with Sister Hamblin, and Elder and Sister Warnsdorff...our dynamic Danish office couple.  Their apartment is not far from here, and it is lovely.  It is in a stately old building that must have built around 1900.  It has one of the oldest elevators in the city.....and honestly....when we got in it....I felt like doing a tap dance!  For those of you who are not familiar with that reference...it is from "Thoroughly Modern Millie" - an old movie from 50 years ago.

Their apartment was magnificent.  She is a collector and has some lovely figurines, paintings, blown-glass vases and beautiful things.

We enjoyed a wonderful evening with them.  They fixed the quintessential Danish meal...a pork roast called "flaeskesteg" which has the best crispy crust on it.  It was served with small boiled white potatoes and brown potatoes (small new potatoes cooked in a caramel sauce.  Other accompaniments were red cabbage, pickled cucumbers (like no pickle you have ever had!), rich brown gravy and current jelly.

That pretty much filled us up, but of course when she brought out the strawberry dessert with whipped cream, we found room.  We talked over that wonderful dish and then talked some more.  I love this Danish custom of eating leisurely....taking 3 hours from the beginning of the meal to the end.  And that wasn't the end.

An hour later, she brought out hot chocolate and herbal tea and little cakes and cookies.  We talked for another hour and sipped our drinks and nibbled on the cookies.  All set in those beautiful surroundings.

They are a wonderful couple who are diligent with all of their assignments, as well as keeping active in all of the other things they do with family, their ward, their work and their many interests.  He is a self-taught pianist and is excellent.

We talked at length about the missionary apartment inspections we have recently completed.  Sister Warnsdorff has already been out shopping for some of the items that are needed.  She is delightful.

On the way home, we commiserated with Sister Hamblin, who is doing the same thing we are doing....trying to pack, to clean and organize the apartment for the next people to live here, and trying to stay up with her responsibilities at the office.  She has been very diligent and even though it has worn her out, I think she will miss the many dear friends she has made, as well as all the missionaries she has associated with.

We three will all fly out next Saturday, on our way to Paris, then SLC, then we'll say goodbye before departing for our homes.  Our adventure together started September 30, 2013 in the MTC.

And what an adventure it has been!

Great Danes

We have eight days left.  If I had not been posting every night, I would think someone had played a cruel hoax on us and had moved the calendar ahead without our noticing.

The day was well-spent though.  Laundry and organizing were done at the outset, then we headed over to a little museum that we have wanted to see for a long time.  It is the Danish Jewish Museum.  We especially liked the WWII exhibit.  Legends have grown from the stories about the Danes and their aid to the Jewish people during the war.

At the heart of the matter though is that 99% of the country's Jews were saved......which is true of no other country.  I want to read more about it, but the exhibit was inspiring.  Of course there were unhappy stories, but at least half who escaped by boats manned by Danish fishermen to Sweden, came home to their own homes which had been taken care of by their neighbors until they returned.  (Forgive me Lia for that run-on sentence)

I was touched by the display case of plaques and certificates of appreciation from groups in the U.S. and Israel.  I also loved the letters to the queen from school children in America.

There were several hundred "hidden" children, whose parents escaped to Sweden.  They were left in the care of Danes, until their parents returned.  In some cases, they stayed close to their host families for the rest of their lives.

I made a large batch of cinnamon rolls for the center....frosting them with maple frosting....SK's favorite.  It makes me happy to fix something they really enjoy....and they really did enjoy those.

Our institute lesson was taught by David, a great young man who served his mission in Arizona!  I told him he couldn't possibly love Arizona the way I love Denmark.....he laughingly disagreed.  He did a wonderful job on the lesson.  His questions elicited thoughtful comments from the YSAs...and once again made me realize how exceptional they are.

 Early in the evening, a few young adults came, and I had some great conversations with them.  When it was over, we had some more really wonderful gab sessions.  I love these young people, and so enjoy our visits.  When I visit with them in the kitchen, it is comfortable.

Those times may well be the best part of the whole mission.